FMD situation in Libya and Morocco requires to adopt protection measures at Union level which take into account the survival of the virus in the environment and potential transmission routes of that virus.

Friday 18 December 2015 (3 years 3 months 3 days ago)

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According to Commission Implementig Decision (EU) 2015/2217 of 27 November 2015 on measures to prevent the introduction into the Union of the foot-and-mouth disease virus from Libya and Morocco, on 2 November 2015 Morocco notified to the World Organisation for Animal Health (‘OIE’) the confirmation of an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease of serotype O in the western part of its territory. The presence of foot-and-mouth disease in Morocco is liable to constitute a serious risk to the livestock population of the Union.

The foot-and-mouth disease situation in Libya remains uncertain and a significant number of consignments of live bovine animals is exported from EU Member States to that country. In addition, Libya and Morocco are potential countries of transit for the livestock vehicles returning from other African countries to the Union.

Therefore, the foot-and-mouth disease situation in Libya and Morocco requires to adopt protection measures at Union level which take into account the survival of the foot-and-mouth disease virus in the environment and potential transmission routes of that virus.

Livestock vehicles and vessels used for the transport of live animals to Libya and Morocco may be contaminated with the foot-and-mouth disease virus in those countries and therefore constitute a risk of introducing the disease upon their return to the Union. Appropriate cleansing and disinfection of livestock vehicles and vessels is the most appropriate way to reduce the risk of rapid virus transmission over large distances.

It is therefore appropriate to ensure that all livestock vehicles and vessels which have transported live animals to destinations in Libya and Morocco are appropriately cleansed and disinfected and that such cleansing and disinfection is properly documented in a declaration to be submitted by the operator or driver to the competent authority at the point of entry into the Union.

The operator or driver should ensure that for each livestock vehicle and vessel which has transported live animals to destinations in Libya and Morocco, a cleansing and disinfection certificate is retained for a minimum period of three years.

Member States should also have the possibility to subject vehicles which transport feed from or have transported feed to infected countries, and for which a significant risk of introduction of foot-and-mouth disease into the territory of the Union cannot be excluded, to on-the-spot disinfection of the wheels or any other part of the vehicle deemed necessary to mitigate that risk.